Memorial Day Has the Highest Accident Rates of the Year

Summer is almost here and that means riders are eager to get back on the road. Before you raise your kick-stand this holiday weekend, Progressive Insurance wants to remind you how important it is to be safe this upcoming weekend. Based on Progressive Insurance data from 2011-2013, the average number of claims during Memorial Day weekend is 43% higher than the rest of the year. On top of that, the number of motorcycle thefts per day, on average, is 64% higher than the rest of the year, with Honda, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, and Suzuki being the makes most frequently stolen.

When taking a motorcycle ride, it’s important for all riders to be properly protected. To make sure you’re covered heading into the holiday weekend, here are a few tips Progressive wants you to keep in mind:

Tip 1: Make sure your coverage is in order. Progressive’s (and other companies’ –MO) Comprehensive and Collision coverage, offers not only liability, but also physical damage and theft coverage. Just select your deductible (which you’ll pay out of pocket when making a claim –MO) and Progressive covers the rest of the repair. It covers stolen or damaged property regardless of whose fault it is.

Tip 2: Progressive (and other companies’ –MO) also offers Trip Interruption protection on some policies. If you’re on the road and your bike is stolen, Progressive will cover you for food, lodging and transportation if you happen to get stranded.

Ride safe and have a wonderful Memorial Day.

Featured Insurance Providers

Allstate Motorcycle Insurance

Allstate offers protection with one purpose: to keep riders riding. For those who can’t image life without two wheels, Allstate offers the Rider Protection Package, Genuine Parts Guarantee and New Motorcycle Replacement, plus discounts that could save you up to 50%. Call an Allstate Agent for a fast, free quote today.

GEICO Motorcycle Insurance

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Suggested Readings

For calendar year 2011, the National Insurance Crime Bureau tracked a number of statistics regarding motorcycle theft, including the top 10 stolen brands and the top 10 states for theft. Those lists can be found elsewhere on this site. Here, we list the top 10 months for motorcycle theft based on the NICB findings. In ascending order, they are:

Recently, we published a story on the least expensive motorcycles to insure. In it, the bikes were broken down by category, knowing that consumers aren’t interested in a list entirely of small-displacement beginner bikes. We also kept the list to current models (2013 in this case) available in the United States.
This time we’re going the other direction. Here we have the Top Ten most expensive motorcycles to insure. Yes, we could have listed ten uber-expensive and super-rare motorcycles which cost a fortune to insure, but in the name of practicality this list is comprised of mass produced 2013 models the majority of folks can actually buy.
Again, we averaged quotes from different insurance providers to come up with our rankings. Our fictitious rider is a 30 year-old male, licensed for ten years, with a clean record living in Los Angeles. As always, shop around with your own and other insurance providers to get rate quotes tailored for you and your situation.

Where you live is one of the most important factors insurance companies use in determining your premium. Why? As with age, experience, the type of bike you ride and every other factor considered in computing your rate, where you live comes into the equation for one simple reason: risk.
Statistics show that some areas have higher crime rates than others. So if a higher crime rate equals a higher risk of damage to or loss of your property, it will cost you more to insure anything you own. And that includes your motorcycle. If your motorcycle resides in a location where statistics prove it’s at a greater risk for damage or theft, insurance companies are going to want you to pay a higher premium for coverage.
Overall, 2011 saw 46,667 motorcycle thefts in the US (including Puerto Rico and Washington D.C.), according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). Interestingly, that number is down 6% from the prior year – welcome news, as the Motorcycle Industry Council says total motorcycle sales are on the rise, albeit slightly (0.3%).
The list below shows the Top 10 states with the highest rate of motorcycle theft in 2011 (Total number of thefts and most targeted brand in parentheses). Worth noting: these 10 states accounted for 25,983 thefts in 2011 – fully 56% of the total. If you’re trying to insure a bike in one of these states, expect to pay more. Still, experts say things like keeping your motorcycle garaged and hooking up a recovery system such as LoJack will have a positive effect on your premium.

Motorcycle insurance is a slippery subject. With so many options for coverage, it’s hard to keep track of every kind of policy. However, if you live in the States you gotta have at least bodily injury and property damage liability coverage before legally operating your motorcycle. But getting insurance doesn’t have to break the bank.